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Raw Sewage Flowing into Mississippi River at St. Louis

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ST. LOUIS (AP) – Millions of gallons of raw sewage are pouring into the Mississippi River from a St. Louis wastewater treatment plant where two of three pumps have failed.

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District spokesman Lance LeComb says the pumps went out on Sunday night, and it’s unclear how quickly they may be fixed or replaced.

LeComb says the plant takes in 55 million gallons of sewage a day. While acknowledging the spillage’s seriousness, he says the sewage that makes its way into the river is being diluted by the rain-swollen waterway.

He says the spill has been reported to the state.

The spill isn’t likely to affect the river’s recreational users, given that the currents are dangerously elevated. But many communities downriver from St. Louis draw their drinking water from the river.